


Hands on You

by sometimes_i_am_lola



Series: Wildfire [3]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Diego Hargreeves Needs A Hug, F/M, Not Beta Read, Pseudo-Incest, Sexual Tension, The Author Regrets Nothing, Touching, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-11 00:02:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18418649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sometimes_i_am_lola/pseuds/sometimes_i_am_lola
Summary: Vanya and Diego figure out their unresolved tensions.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a pretty fun one to write. The song is Hands on You by Ashley Monroe. Honestly, you guys have given me some serious writing motivation. Thank you and I hope you enjoy this one, too. I sure did.

 

**_I wish I would've laid my hands on you, shown you a thing or two,_ **

**_I wish I would've pushed you against the wall, lock the door and bathroom stall, windows, and the screen,_ **

**_I wish you would've laid your hands on me, that kind gon' bring me to my knees,_ **

**_I wish I would've let you lay me down, 'cause I wouldn't be here wishing now,_ **

**_I wish I would've laid my hands on you,_ **

 

DPOV

 

He had somehow agreed that they could take a break from the stakeout to catch a song or two from the band that was playing at some dingy and dirty bar. He’s been working with Vanya for a while now, in secret. It had started off simply enough. She’d been holding her clipboard and overseeing his practice like Sir Reginald had taught her.

 

At some point, months earlier, she’d decided that her long brown hair was nothing more than an irritant that got in the way. She’d shown up to breakfast one morning with hair no longer than Five’s was before he disappeared. It shocked them all. At first, Reginald had accused Allison of making her do it and Allison’s eyes had welled with tears until Vanya had scoffed loudly and exclaimed that Allison couldn’t make her do a thing and why would she even want to.

 

Sir Reginald had asked why she’d cut it then and she’d asked why he cared. They’d all stopped to stare at her blatant disrespect. None of them talked to Reginald that way. None of them.

 

He’d harrumphed and went back to his meal as she’d taken her seat at the table. It wasn’t brought up again, surprisingly. Even when it was just the two of them later that night.

 

And, when she’d been left in charge of his knife practice while Sir Reginald ran a group practice she’d watched him for all of thirty minutes. He knew he was being sulky, especially for someone his age. Seventeen, nearly eighteen, and he was pouting about being punished because of a bad throw on a fake mission. He was barely trying because the bad throw was actually due to Allison not watching where she was running and he’d had to curve the blade at the last second. But, he’d never tell Sir Reginald that. He’d just watch Allison more carefully.

 

Vanya had finally stood up, declared practice over, and told him to follow her. He still doesn’t know why he did, but he did.

 

They’d went to an empty library in the house and Vanya had closed the doors before running at him wildly. He’d been so surprised that she’d knocked him down at first. It only took seconds for him to subdue her and he’d been about to jump away when he realized she was shaking. He thought he’d hurt her until loud laughs filled the room.

 

“You have to show me how to do that!” She’d exclaimed.

 

From then on they took turns showing each other things from their different sides of life instead of only hanging out at home. But no one ever knew. He’d sneak her out on patrol with him and he’d sneak away on nights when others patrolled and go listen to bands with her. They’d snuck out on their eighteenth birthday just a month ago and wandered the city until daybreak.  No one noticed.

 

He’d been on a stakeout on the roof of a building tonight, having snuck her out with him. After a couple of hours she’d convinced him that it wouldn’t hurt to go to the bar a few blocks over and check out a new band that she’d heard about.

 

Now, lying in bed as the sun is still trying to raise itself into the sky, he can’t stop thinking about her.

 

The band had been punk with a deep blues twist and Vanya had convinced him to let her dance. He’d stayed on the edges of the floor as he’d watched her. She’d looked so at ease swaying to the beat.

 

After the first song, she pulled him onto the floor with her.

 

Diego can’t stop thinking about the way she moved against him in the heat of the bar. For so long, he’s had this thing for her that he’s tried so hard to hide. Her attitude and style, her humor and snark, so much about her appeals to him. Their easy friendship still shocks him, years later.

 

Finding himself pushing their boundaries was not what he’d expected to come out of the night.

 

**_2x7_ **


	2. Chapter 2

 

**_I wish I would've laid my hands on you, shown you a thing or two,_ **

**_I wish I would've pushed you against the wall, lock the door and bathroom stall, windows, and the screen,_ **

**_I wish you would've laid your hands on me, that kind gon' bring me to my knees,_ **

**_I wish I would've let you lay me down, 'cause I wouldn't be here wishing now,_ **

**_I wish I would've laid my hands on you,_ **

 

VPOV

 

The first time Vanya had boldly stated that Diego’s practice was done for the day, she hadn’t expected him to give in and follow her. He never shirked his duties unless it came to patrol. Even then, he only did it when she could convince him to take a break. The stakeouts are just practice after all.

 

She hadn’t been sure what she was going to do when she got him in the library. Running at him had been a gamble, calculated or not. When she’d managed to knock him down she’d been just as surprised as him. He’d restrained her easily enough and she hadn’t been able to hold back her laughter, even as her body tingled with a sudden, glaring awareness of him.

 

Vanya knew he was attractive, all of them are, but they’ve never been this close before. Their friendship didn’t include cuddling or wrestling in any form. If it had, she might not have had the reaction she did. She’d quickly and loudly declared that Diego had to teach her how to do that.

 

And he had taught her but it didn’t dampen her awareness in the slightest. If anything, it only heightened it.

 

And last night hadn’t helped.

 

She has no idea what she was thinking when she’d asked him to dance with her. Or what he was thinking when he agreed. The first dance had been about them learning how to move together, the second was about them just moving.

 

As they’d danced, they’d moved closer until suddenly they were pressed together from chest to knee. Diego’s hands had moved and so had hers, keeping just centimeters away from anywhere they could call each other out for. She doesn’t know if Diego even realized what he was doing or if he’d just been caught up in the moment.

 

Her bedroom is across the hall from his and she can hear him moving around on his bed like he can’t get comfortable.

 

She can’t forget the feel of him under her hands when she’d traced them over his stomach, the fabric of his sweater bunching up as she glided her fingers over his chest and shoulders. His own thick and calloused fingers slid over her stomach and brushed her skin on her hips as her top raised up with her lifted arms. His hand spans the small of her back and then her lower stomach as she turns in his arms.

 

The heat from him raised an answering heat low in her stomach, under his hand, and she’d pressed closer to him, her body involuntarily seeking relief from the tension he created in her very blood.

 

Huffing out a sharp breath, she throws her body over on to her side in frustration and slapped her hand against her pillow in order to make it easier to lay on. That’s what she tells herself. It’s her pillow’s fault. And her bed’s and her blanket’s. Those inanimate objects are to blame and not the memory of Diego’s firm torso and muscular thighs that had seemed to cradle her as they moved, back to chest. It’s not the memory of his heavy arms, one across her collarbones the other across her stomach as he held her tight and laughed as they’d walked through the crowd and he’d spoke low in her ear, words she can’t even recall now.

 

Vanya just wishes that if she’s going to be stuck with the memory that she’d done a little more to remember.

 

**_2x7_ **


	3. Chapter 3

 

**_I wish I was still half drunk, still tangled up, still making love,_ **

**_But instead I'm alone in bed with you in my head, can't get you out of my head,_ **

**_And my only regret,_ **

**_I wish I would've laid my hands on you, got you high in a motel room,_ **

**_Little secret for my soul, no one sees and no one knows,_ **

**_Forbidden company,_ **

 

DPOV

 

Sleep finally finds him but it doesn’t last long before they’re being called for breakfast. Diego opens his door to catch sight of a tousled Vanya. They’re no longer required to wear their school uniform and she has taken full advantage. Today, she has on a tight pair of low-rise jeans and black t-shirt with Barbie in hot pink letters. Her small feet are bare and her hair looks like she ran her fingers through it rather than comb it.

 

Honey colored eyes look at him and then quickly away before she rushes down the hallway. Okay, so maybe in the light of day she’s wishing that she hadn’t danced with him last night. Maybe she noticed his reaction to her at the club, the way he couldn’t resist burying his nose in her hair and breathing her in.

 

Shaking the thought away, he tries not to let his stomach sink as he makes his way to the dining room.

 

Breakfast is a quick affair and since it’s not a training day and there’s no mission, they’re left to their own devices for the time being. He thinks about trying to get some sleep but he doesn’t think that’s possible. He’d just be plagued with more thoughts of last night. If he knew things were going to be different between them today, he’d have pushed more boundaries.

 

As it is, he’s left with regrets of touching her and regrets of not touching her enough. He can’t forget the silky texture of her skin under his palm and the pads of his fingers. He rubs his thumb over his fingers at the phantom sensation the thought creates and he looks up to catch Vanya glaring at his hands.

 

Diego swallows roughly and leaves the room, intending on practicing throwing his knives. He finds himself in the unused library. With a heavy and weary sigh, he makes his way to the farthest corner of the large room and sits down on the old, over-stuffed and oddly shaped fainting couch. He’s thought plenty of times that it’s be an interesting couch to use with Vanya but now all he does is lay on it and throw an arm over his eyes.

 

He’s not aware of the picture he makes until he hears a soft and familiar giggle. He lifts his arm slightly and turns his head to see Vanya standing over him with her small hand pressed over her mouth to contain her laughter.

 

“Are you hysterics?” Vanya asks him, barely holding a straight face. “Do you need a cold rag for your head?”

 

With that, she bursts into laughter, doubling over.

 

“Oh, you think you’re hilarious, huh?” He asks her as he sits up quickly, his relief that she’s talking to him only escalating his amusement at her antics. He reaches out, striking like a snake as he wraps one hand around her wrist and spins her, not thinking about his actions in the moment.

 

Pulling her down into his lap, he tickles her ribs mercilessly as she screeches with laughter and he’s sure that Sir Reginald will come in there at any moment. But he doesn’t stop tickling her because he’s too glad that’s she’d not upset about last night.

 

Vanya squirms too much and almost slips to the floor so he twists quickly and presses her back into the couch as he continues tickling her. It’s only after her laughter slowly fades that he realizes what he’s done. The slight curve to the couch is pressed to the small of her back causing her to arch against it. One of her legs is dangling off the edge of the couch, her foot nearly touching the floor. Diego is between her thighs since he’d stayed on the couch when he flipped her and their hips are pressed together since he’d been using his body to hold her down.

 

One of his hands is on the couch by her head and the other is spanning her ribs under her t-shirt.

 

They’re both flushed and breathless and he can’t bring himself to move, even as his body reacts to hers. Sue him, he’s only eighteen.

 

Diego watches as her eyelids flutter before closing. He starts to lean down, to steal a kiss. His mouth is directly over hers, their lips only a breath away from touching.

 

The sudden slamming of a door startles both of them and Diego jumps, falling off of the couch when he does. Vanya laughs and he starts to laugh, too, but then she sobers too quickly and jumps up, stepping over him and hurrying for the door. She disappears and he drops, lying flat as he realizes he messed up again.

 

But, from the looks of it, so had she.

 

**_2x7_ **


	4. Chapter 4

 

**_I wish I was still half drunk, still tangled up, still making love,_ **

**_But instead I'm alone in bed with you in my head, can't get you out of my head,_ **

**_And my only regret,_ **

**_I wish I would've laid my hands on you, got you high in a motel room,_ **

**_Little secret for my soul, no one sees and no one knows,_ **

**_Forbidden company,_ **

 

VPOV

 

As Vanya races from the unused library, she presses her cold hands to her face to try to ease the fire in her cheeks. She’s not sure what to think about what had just happened. She’s not sure if it was a spur of the moment thing or if it’s her that Diego likes. Maybe it had just been the moment.

 

Still, she’s already regretting leaving. She should have stayed and seen what would happen or at least talked to Diego about it. If it had been in the moment, she could deal with that. And if he really did like her, she’s pretty sure she’d be thrilled. She’s had a crush on him for so long she’s not sure what she’d do if he liked her back. It seems like such a far-fetched concept to her. She’s Vanya, Number Seven, the unknown member of The Umbrella Academy, the second sister that might as well not exist.

 

And Diego, well, Vanya has helped sort the fan mail after it’s inspected by Mom and Pogo. The letters he receives from teenagers and adults are astonishing, some of them seemingly borderline illegal. Oh, sure people were careful a few years ago but once they knew he was now eighteen, well, they weren’t so careful anymore. Of course Mom always threw out anything lewd from underage teens. That all got shredded with only her eyes having seen it.

 

But, the point is, Diego has millions of fans and a good sized chunk like to throw themselves at him. He never responds to any fan mail unless it’s from children, though. He’s even visited a few children’s hospitals.

 

Vanya doesn’t look bad. Not to herself, at least. She’s short and skinny but she’s pretty and has a decent body. Allison is a pin-up but Vanya is slender and athletic. Thinking about it now, they’re almost complete opposites. Allison is statuesque with long hair and a strong featured face. High cheekbones, full lips, and a pointed chin. Vanya is short with roundish, heart shaped lips and a heart shaped face. Vanya wouldn’t look out of place in a Tinkerbell movie.

 

She’s attractive but the rest of them are in another league. Though, maybe that’s not fair since they all look so different. Not everyone thinks the same thing looks good, she figures. So, okay, she’s attractive. And she’s a pretty good musician. She’s intelligent enough.

 

But, she still can’t see Diego wanting her like that. They’re friends but none of them have friends outside of the house so she doesn’t think that really counts.

 

Vanya makes a detour to her room and grabs her violin before heading to the parlor. She likes playing in there because it has good acoustics but keeps her music mostly private and contained, especially when she closes the sliding doors.

 

Now, she closes them and moves into the center of the room.

 

She’s been learning how to write her own music and today she feels like starting something new.

 

Carefully, she begins. The melody starts off soft and smooth but as she thinks about last night and this morning it shifts into something different. She can feel it sliding through her body and under her skin as she closes her eyes and puts the feeling of Diego’s hands on her hips into the song. Slowly, she incorporates the sensation of his hands sliding over her back and stomach. The way his body felt against hers.

 

The tempo picks up as she transitions from memory to fantasy. She thinks about his mouth on hers, on her body. She thinks about skin moving against skin as the music reaches its climax and she slowly brings it back down before ending the song.

 

Clapping makes her open her eyes and look up to see Klaus sitting with his legs through the railing of the upstairs section of the parlor.

 

“That was so hot.” Klaus says in his typical way and she feels herself blush. “Does Vanya have some secrets? Is she sexually frustrated?”

 

A cough makes her cheeks burn hotter and she nearly runs from the room as Diego glares at Klaus. She really wishes that he hadn’t heard that.

 

“What? Was it something I said?” She hears Klaus asks loudly before he yelps and says ow.

 

She goes to her room and drops her violin off and pulls on her black Sylvie boots before grabbing her jacket and bag. She sneaks out of the house and heads for the park.

 

**_2x7_ **


	5. Chapter 5

 

**_I wish you would've laid your hands on me, and never let me go,_ **

**_Drawing pictures on my skin, places no one's ever been,_ **

**_I wish I would've laid my hands on you,_ **

**_I wish I was still half drunk, still tangled up, still making love,_ **

**_But instead I'm alone in bed with you in my head, can't get you out of my head,_ **

**_My only regret, I wish I would've laid my hands on you_ **

 

DPOV

 

He has to cool off before he can go find Vanya again. So, he picks himself up off the floor and lays on the couch once more. That doesn’t work and so he starts to pace. He feels bad about what happened but he’s not sure if he even should. He’d ask someone’s advice but Vanya’s the only one he really talks to.

 

Then, he shrugs and figures he can talk to her.

 

Leaving the library, he goes through the house, searching for her. Her room is empty and her violin is gone, too. Then, he hears the first strains of music and he knows where she is. She’s told him of her love of practicing in the parlor so that’s where he goes. The doors are closed so he eases them open slightly and squeezes through before closing them again.

 

Diego leans back on them and watches her as she plays. He’s never heard this song before and he wishes he had. It’s sensual in its rhythm and the way her body sways. Her brow is furrowed in concentration and her face is flushed.

 

The music picks up and his hands itch to touch her so he rubs them over the fabric of his pants, trying to get rid of the urge or at least to ease it. She bites her lip lightly as the music swells to a heaving crescendo and he watches her bring it back down, half expecting the instrument to start smoking from all the heat she pulls from it and gives back.

 

A clapping noise has her eyes shooting open and him moving forward to look above them. And there’s Klaus with a crooked grin and lightly glazed eyes.

 

“That was so hot.” Klaus exclaims, pressing his palms together as Vanya blushes. “Does Vanya have some secrets? Is she sexually frustrated?”

 

Diego nearly chokes on his tongue before coughing and drawing attention to himself. Then, he’s nearly choking on anger as Vanya runs from the room.

 

“What? Was it something I said?” Klaus asks as he looks down at Diego and Diego grabs the first thing within reach, a small pillow, and hurls it up at him. It smacks Klaus in the face and his ow is only slightly satisfying.

 

Shaking his head and leaving the parlor, he’s seconds too late in catching up with Vanya. He knows she’s probably going to the park, the one with the swings. They’ve been there plenty of times together in the middle of the night. He thinks about going after her but in the end decides against it.

 

It seems like every time he tries to talk to her or fix things they get progressively worse. Maybe he should just leave her alone for a little while.

 

With that thought, he heads to his bedroom. He has nothing else to do as he has no friends and no current obligations. He considers going for a walk but figures he’ll wait a little while to see if Vanya turns back up. He’d just told himself that he was going to leave her alone for a little while so that things between them could settle but he obviously lied to himself. He’s pretty good at that sometimes.

 

For something to do, he pulls out his knives and starts to sharpen and clean them. It doesn’t take too long because he always keeps them in perfect condition but it does take a bit of time due to the sheer number of them.

 

When he’s done and there’s still no sign of Vanya he puts on his jacket and heads out, going straight for the park.

 

It doesn’t take him long to spot her since she’s the only one there. He leans on a tree for a minute, just watching her sit on the swing and move slowly. Her feet push against the ground softly, the toes of her boots just barely touching the dirt that’s been worn away by hundreds of feet going over it repeatedly.

 

Pushing away from the tree, he makes his way over, stopping behind her and grabbing the chains and halting her motions. She jumps as her back bumps into him and she tilts her head back, meeting his eyes upside down. He smiles down at her and is grateful when she gives an answering smile and things seem to be good once more.

 

That was easy.

 

**_2x7_ **


	6. Chapter 6

 

**_I wish you would've laid your hands on me, and never let me go,_ **

**_Drawing pictures on my skin, places no one's ever been,_ **

**_I wish I would've laid my hands on you,_ **

**_I wish I was still half drunk, still tangled up, still making love,_ **

**_But instead I'm alone in bed with you in my head, can't get you out of my head,_ **

**_My only regret, I wish I would've laid my hands on you_ **

 

VPOV

 

Vanya isn’t surprised that he eventually found her. He knows her too well. She had been surprised when he’d first grabbed the swing but that was because she’d been lost in thought and had thought it was a possible stranger.

 

When he smiled down at her she felt warmth flow from the top of her head and all the way to her toes. She swings for a bit longer as Diego sits in the swing next to her, unmoving. They don’t talk, just sit in comfortable and familiar silence. She’s glad that last night and today hadn’t ruined anything between them.

 

But, she still doesn’t know what to think about the touching and that almost kiss. She’s nearly desperate for answer but she’s terrified of alienating him. Things hadn’t gone so well before so she keeps her mouth shut.

 

They stay at the park the rest of the day, eating food bought from different vendors and getting drinks at a convenience store.

 

The sun goes down and they move to a picnic table and lay side by side on top of it to look up at the stars. Or, what stars they can see living in the city. Too many lights makes it hard to see much in the sky.

 

Talking animatedly, they take turns making up stories about space and constellations and far-off planets.

 

At one point, Diego stands up and paces so she sits up to see him better, laughing as he moves his hands and arms around as he weaves a tale. She’s laughing as he moves closer, the story coming to an end and his hands dropping as he tells her that it’s her turn.

 

It takes her a few minutes’ worth of talking to realize that he’d dropped his hands onto her thighs. When she does realize, it’s because his fingers are moving, tracing patterns across the thin denim covering her skin. She looks down and his gaze follows.

 

His fingers still their movements but he doesn’t move his hands. Diego continues staring at them as if he’s unsure what they are and who they belong to. Vanya starts to scoot backwards but Diego’s fingers tighten and she freezes. She’s not sure what to say or do so she just sits there, not making eye contact.

 

Neither of them move for a long time and her heart is racing. It’s hard to breathe and it feels like there’s a tether between them that’s getting tighter and tighter, shorter and shorter. She considers leaning forward, falling back, maybe putting her hands over his to push him away or pull him closer.

 

Diego seems to decide something, or maybe he’s lost control over his own hands. Whatever it is, they start to move. Warm, large, calloused palms slide up and down her thighs from knee to upper thigh, his thumbs getting indecently near the middle of her legs on every upsweep. She’s frozen to the spot as he moves his hands with a glacial pace.

 

Every movement feels like fire.

 

On the next sweep, he doesn’t move his hands back down. He keeps going up her thighs, his thumbs getting nearer and nearer to the junction of her thighs. Then they barely graze her, caressing the crease of her thighs as he slips his hands to the sides and on to her hips.

 

His hands are so large and she’s so small that his thumbs touch her hipbones as his fingers glide along the upper swell of her butt. Diego’s hands slide under the hem of her shirt and he’s still watching them as if he’s not participating. Vanya has to keep reminding herself not to hold her breath with every slide of his skin against hers. She has no idea what’s going on, what’s going through his mind.

 

Silently, he uses the pressure of his hands and urges her to lay back on the table. It’s late, it’s dark, and they’re completely alone. She lays back.

 

Instead of his hands moving up, he glides them back down. All the way to her knees. Her hands itch to do something, anything. She clenches them into fists at her sides, waiting.

 

Moving back up, his hands do that now familiar slide up her thighs but this time he pushes them apart slightly and steps between them. His hands glide over her hips again, fingers going under her body and over the swell of her butt for a moment as his grip tightens and releases.

 

Then he slides them back around and under the hem of her shirt. His gaze is hot and assessing when she dares to glance at him. She has to look away quickly for fear of bursting into flames.

 

His fingers go up her belly slowly, stopping just below her ribs and moving back down.

 

They dip inside the waistband of her jeans and her breath hitches as her abs jump in surprise. He grips her waist band roughly, tugging lightly and making her hips jerk before releasing her and starting to move again.

 

Diego’s expression changes into one she hasn’t ever seen but it makes her want more.

 

Cursing, he removes his hands from her and takes a step back, pulling his communicator out of his pocket and cursing again.

 

“We should get home.” He tells her, sliding the device back into his pocket.

 

He doesn’t move towards her and barely sends her a glance as she gets off of the table and straightens her shirt. He starts walking without checking if she’s following and they’re silent the whole way home. Her heart sinks further and further with each step.

 

Once they’re at the front door, she moves past him to go inside but a hand around her wrist stops her. She looks back at Diego but doesn’t say anything.

 

His gaze is intense as he stares down at her and then he moves closer, taking her chin in his hand to keep her face turned to him. His thumb traces her bottom lip, tugging it down before releasing it.

 

“Later.” He seems to mumble before he speaks in a louder, clearer tone. “You should get inside.”

 

She does as he says, heading to her room with butterflies in her stomach and a racing heart. Vanya doesn’t think she was supposed to hear the ‘later’.

 

**_2x7_ **


End file.
